TA-03A (Mai)
Name: "Mai" (born TA-03A)
Whateley: Class of 2011 (freshman as of fall 2007)
DOB: Date of "birth" 2001-12-05 (age 6, listed as 14 on her MID)
Powers: REG-5, SH-4:i;r;sw;n;l (EX-4)
Gender: Female (hermaphrodite)
Sexuality: Attracted to females
Demeanor: She does not use contractions, startles easily. Prove to animal-like mannerism.
Costume: Her skin becomes metallic, claws appear on her hands and feet along with a barbed prehensile tail
Race: Synthetic Organism (or as she prefers it "Artificial Person")
Height: 5'/ 1.5 m
Weight: 100 lbs / 50 kg
Eyes: Brown expressive eyes, one has an amber eyeflash, the other a green eyeflash.
Hair: Long dark hair in her human form
Face: Heart shaped face in her human form.
Build: Slim yet shapely in her human form, she does become flat chested when around her lover Lightstep
POB: Place of birth on MID: Fort Bliss Tx, WBAMC, (In reality it was WSMR)
Assoc: Cottage: Hawthorne, team: Circle-S, girlfriend (Lightstep), enemies: Lyssa, Gloria Whitley, TA-02A
Creator: (Taira-Mai)

General Description

Mai appears to be an Asian girl about 14 years old. In reality her default form is that of a large dog-like cybernetic creature with four eyes.

TA-03 was the most successful Test Article of the TActical Independant Reconnaissance Android (TAIRA) project. Part of the Future Combat Systems, the TAIRA project was to create a living autonomous device that could think, learn and fight on it's own. It would protect US Army forces from mutants and conventional attack. The program ran into several snags, then full on cost overruns. The Navy and Air Force dropped out. The Marines claimed that they didn't need it. The Army tried to got it alone, but had to cancel the project due to technical and budget issues (and TA-02A trying to escape).

All TAIRA project materials were deemed "surplus" and scheduled for disposal by the Defense Reutilization & Marketing Service.

Dr. Michael Taira, the project's chief designer, adopted TA-03 and named her Mai. She was supposed to live among humans and further AI research. He planned to have Mai live among humans and evolve. Instead Dr. Taira was murdered, his wife forced into hiding and Mai was found wandering the streets of El Paso Texas. The Army and the MCO fought back and fourth about TA-03's fate. The City of El Paso stepped in when they found “Mai” (in her dog form) at the local animal shelter. When she shifted to her human form Child Protective Services claimed jurisdiction. A family court judge suggested the academy. After some back and fourth negotiations, all parties agreed to send “Mai” to Whateley as a compromise.

Whateley staff were reluctant to take what they considered a dangerous organism. Chief Delarose figured that the Army was responsible for what it created. Mrs. Carson was willing to hear out Dr. Taira's wife Amelia and Judge Teresa Gonzales (Whateley Class of '77). She agreed after Delarose had Mai assigned to Hawthorne.

As part of the agreement between the MCO, the Army and CPS, Mai must complete a full term at Whateley. The staff has permission to use what ever measures will keep Mai and the students safe. The Army reassured the MCO and Mrs. Carson the Mai was “de-militarized”. Mrs. Carson and Chief Delarose are not convinced. They lay some ground rules for Mai:

1) Do not start any fights with students. Mai's sister unit (TA-02) went berserk and attacked a National Guard unit during a field test, a fact the MCO keeps bringing up when ever they speak to Mrs. Carson about Mai.

2) Meet with Dr. Bellows every week for the first two months, then twice a month until her junior year.

3) Never be alone with biodevisors. She can talk to them, but she is not allowed near the labs without supervision or escort by security (this comes from the Project Office and Mrs. Carson's fear that students would take advantage of Mai).

4) Socialize with other students, take as many arts elective as possible, but never break rule 3.

5) Mai is not to be let off school grounds unsupervised until her Sophomore year. (The Army and MCO claim that she can go off campus under their supervision, but coordination between those two mean that she has to wait until then).

Mrs. Carson made it clear to Mai that expulsion from the academy puts her at the mercy of the MCO and the Army.

Mai has a CD that allows her to be conditioned and given orders. The CD is currently in the possession of Mrs. Carson. Mai was given a CD full of reference materials and her blueprints, she is told to safeguard it at all costs.

Dr. Taira's wife Maj. Amelia Taira, entered the witness protection program after his murder. Her army pension and life insurance payments go toward Mai's tuition, room and board. The project office was closed by Defense Secretary Rumsfield, the Army keeping a skelton staff to keep track of Mai and the other two prototypes in cold storage.

Recently, Mai was involved in another fight with a student, Talcat. She was heavily injured after starting a fight. Mrs. Carson, after consulting with Amelia Taira, the Army and the MCO placed Mai on restriction to Hawthorne. She will attend most of her classes by video conference. She told Mai that this two month restriction is for her own good. The next incident will result in the Army taking custody of her. Now that her restriction is over, she has left Circle-S.

Tegan, has agreed to take Mai into her team. She hopes to mentor her and help her get control of her instincts.


TA-03 favors the look of a young Asian female of about 12-14 years old. She's fond of "Gothic Lolita" styles. Her skin shifts into the appearance of clothing. She can wear clothes, but the feeling of cloth on her skin makes her uneasy.

In her natural "default" form she is a large metallic canine with four eyes. Several spines appear on her back (they are radio antennas or 'handlebars' if she carries someone). In either form she can extend her tongue out 3'.

She adopted the name "Taira Mai". She prefers to be called "Mai" but has settled for most calling her "Taira."


TA-03A is a shapeshifter. She can shift into animal forms, copy people or animals, shift into her metal dog form or any combination thereof. She shifts when startles or aroused. She can shift suddenly without waring. With Dr. Bellows she is working on control, but that is one of the things keeping her in Hawthorne. She can become as big as a OX or as small as a house cat. She is very strong, able to push, pull or drag a HMMWV or large SUV with ease. Her regeneration and size chaining abilities augment her shifting.

As part of the Army requirements, she can hear radio transmission and receive encryption from military equipment. She can "merge" with military equipment and operate or repair it if the proper software has been loaded into her. Carson knows this and wants to keep her from the devisor labs. She can hear and interpret GPS signals. She never gets lost and knows what time it is.

Part of her animal nature is her tracking ability and IR vision. She loves to use those to chase rabbits and birds in the woods just outside the main campus. But since her machine processors are overwhelmed by magic, she stays away from the "Grove".


Mai is a skilled artist, she loves to sew clothes (for other people), draw, paint and sculpt. She is fond of sculpting wood with her bare hands. A therapist on the project staff taught her American Sign Language.


Item 1

One set of three school uniforms

Item 2

A PDA Cell phone

Item 3

One Suit Case

Item 4

One large dog crate

Item 5

One military issue MOLLE rucksack in woodland cammo pattern.


She is friendly and outgoing. But there are three sides to TA-03:

1) The animal (her id)
2) The Machine (her ego)
3) The girl ("Mai" or superego)

She has no 'poker face', her emotions are clearly seen when talking to her. She'll growl, bark, yelp, purr or whistle when emotionally aroused, she tends to tilt her head when confused.. Her machine nature can make her aloof at times, or calm her when she sees that a threat has passed. Dr. bellows thinks that she'll develop more control over time and be able to leave Hawthorne.

Mrs. Carson and Chief Delarose were warned that Mai can rage by both the Army and the El Paso Police Dept. Due to the nature of the tests conducted during her development as a weapon, she can revert back to her programming or animal instincts. After speaking with Maj. Taira and Judge Gonzales Dr. Bellows believes that with time and therapy, her rage can be overcome. Untill then she is to wear the rager arm band. She is rated as a Class-1.


Her emotions. Once the animal is angered, she'll either lash out or shift into a dangerious form. She has improved her control, but she's served detention for fighting. She'll shift when startled or emotional (see above). She will take on the appearance of those around her unless she concentrates.

Her machine self is vulnerable to hacking attempts. Most make her either shut down or give her headaches. The downside to hearing radio transmission is that ECM can give her crippling headaches or make her disoriented.

What really sets her of is warping and magic. Casual violations of reality, teleporting or spatial distortions make her panic. they overload her machine processor, the animal takes over. When that is overwhelmed, she shuts down and passes out.



  • Class of 2011


  • Cottage: Hawthorne
    • Roommate: none
  • Home residence: Fort Bliss/El Paso Tx

Group Affiliations

  • Group Circle-S

Romantic Relationships

  • Character: Lightstep
  • Character: Alleycat

Personal Enemies

Gloria Whitley, Lyssa,

  • Group or character


  • Name: Dr. Michael Taira (TA-03's chief designer, Whateley Class of '71 ) "father"
  • Name: MAJ. Amelia Taira USA Ret."mother"
  • US Army: PEO-FCS: TAIRA project (skeleton office to keep track of TA-03)
  • MCO: claims jurisdiction if TA-03 is expelled
  • El Paso County Child Protective Services (have civil jurisdiction)
  • TA-04C: 4th prototype, in cold storage, awaiting shipment to ARC
  • TA-02A: 2nd prototype, in cold storage awaiting disposal…

*Wizzmer: her plush toy
